January

Dedication Ceremony 2016

The Dedication Ceremony on 12 January
formally welcomed our newly enrolled Secondary Ones into the Crescentian
family. It is a meaningful occasion and a unique opportunity for both staff and
students to pledge their dedication and love to the school. Starting off the
event, the staff of CGS made their grand entrance into the auditorium followed
by the loud cheers from the Crescentians, after which everyone sang the school
song proudly in unison. This year our distinguished guests to grace this
special ceremony were Ms. Cheung Hoi Shan, President of the Crescent Girls’
School Alumnae Association and Mdm Savitha Kumar, Chairperson of the Parents’
Support Group.

The Head of our Crescentian Family,
our Principal, Mrs. Tan Chen Kee, proceeded to set the tone for the new year,
reminding us to remain resilient even when faced with adversity. Mrs. Tan then led the staff in the recitation
of the Crescent Girls’ School Staff Pledge, pledging to bring out the best in
our students.

The most heartwarming moment was when
the elder sisters, the Secondary Four seniors, pinned the school badge on for
the little sisters, the Secondary Ones and giving them a special note of
encouragement, marking the official initiation of our Secondary One Crescentians
into our Crescentian Family.

Ending the special occasion, the
President of the Student Council, Gwendolyn Lee, led the Crescentians in the
pledge of commitment to the school, with each Crescentian promising to bring
honour to our school, by being courteous, sincere and generous at all times. No
event will ever be complete without the truly unique Crescent tradition – the
Crescent Cheer!

As we journey through a new year, let
us not forget to stay resilient and overcome all challenges that may come our
way. Onward with zeal and zest, forward we of CGS!

Reported
by: Gwendolyn Lee (4S3)

O-Level Examination Results 2015: What our students have to say….

You have
just received your results so what are your feelings now?

Yihui: I am quite shocked but also quite
happy because I didn’t expect such results.

Kivia: I am very happy because some of my
grades are quite unexpected.

Nabilah: I’m happy not only for myself but
also for the results of my friends. I think as a school, we did very well, and
it’s Crescent that prepared us very well for exams; Crescentians generally did very well and I’m
very happy for that.

Debbie: I would say that I’m having mixed
feelings now, because for certain subjects, I didn’t really meet the
expectations that I had set for myself, but I was also quite surprised because
I didn’t manage to complete several papers and hence did not expect to do as
well. I’m just really really happy that I got the score that I got, and I think
that everyone did very well, so that’s good.

Ashvini: Shock, I didn’t expect to score this
well.

What is
the recipe for your success that you could share with your juniors?

Amanda: I think that it is very important
that everyone manage their time well. For myself, I always plan a schedule to
plan out what work I need to get done by the day and complete it by that day.
If I still have uncompleted work, I will make sure I get it done by that week
and not push to the next week. You must have a strong motivation to do well and
study very hard to work towards it.

Shermaine: I think it is very important to have
an end in mind like from a few months from now, taking your results and how you
want to feel then. If you don’t want to be disappointed then you got to work
harder. That will be your main motivation.

Yihui: For me, I feel that consistency is
very important. It really helps when you study throughout the year. Even in
Secondary 3, make sure that you have your basics and foundations right so that
at the end, it won’t be like a last minute scramble trying to learn new things.
Also, don’t be afraid to seek help from your teachers because they are more
than willing to help. Just keep asking questions and make sure you understand
what you are learning.

Nabilah: You should trust your teachers. I
know that some of their advice may not make sense to you now, or it might be
too much to do, but if you try listening, you’ll find that it actually works.
After all, these teachers have had years of dealing with sec 4s so they know
their stuff, and if you try to follow what they advise you to do and work hard,
you’ll be fine. Another important thing to ensure in your last year in Crescent
is that your value your friendship with your peers, because this may be the
last time that you will be able to see all these other Crescentians as a
cohort. Hence you should make happy memories before you part because
Crescentians are like your family members.

Amelia: I think aside from all the hard work
that you put in, one very important thing is that you need to keep yourself
healthy because a lot of the syllabus that is covered in the secondary 4 year
is really important. If you miss one lesson, your understanding of a particular
topic could be greatly affected. Like for me, I fell sick for 1 entire week,
and was on hospitalization leave after that, so that really affected my prelim
results. So one very important thing aside from the hard work that you put in
is that you really must take care of your health.

Jo Wee: I’d say start early and be
consistent. I didn’t do very well for my Humanities, and one of the reasons was
because I was not very consistent throughout my two years in secondary 3 and 4.
When you start early, you can remember your content better, so during the exams
you’ll be more prepared and more likely to be able to remember everything, so
you end up being calmer as well.

Where did you draw your inspiration
from?

Yi Ning: I think that the people who really
inspired me to do well were the teachers. When they teach, you can see their
passion in teaching and it just makes you want to work hard. Sometimes, when
you do badly or not as well, you feel bad and you feel sorry so you work harder
to make you teachers happier.

Yihui: I also feel that it is the teachers
who inspired me to do well because seeing how dedicated they were made me want
to put in as much effort as them. Also I feel my friends inspired me because we
were all in the same situation so I felt like if they can do it, why can’t I?
My parents and friends outside school also inspired me to do well.

Chloe: Honestly speaking, I did not set any
goals for my O-levels. So perhaps my motivation comes from seeing everyone
studying, because then I’d study too. I just didn’t dwell on it -- there’s very
little time for that.

Xueting: My dream Junior College was Victoria
Junior College (VJC) so I told myself that I must go to that JC if not then, well, I’m done.

Jovitta: Actually, my brother was my
inspiration because he got 7 points for his O levels, and I just wanted to beat
him. Even though I didn’t in the end, it’s okay because the mark I got was
quite close. I think that when you have positive peer pressure, that will help
you and motivate you to study, so it helps to have friends who know the right
balance studies and play. Once in a while, you should also look back at your
past mistakes and failures. Failure motivates me to do better because I don’t
think that anyone wants to look back at their results and say, “Oh dear, I got
an F, hooray!” Instead, you want to do better. So what I did was to look back
on my past failures, especially for subjects that I was weaker in, like A math
and History, and then from there, once you recognize your mistakes made and you
want to improve, try your best to rectify them and move forward instead of
going backwards.

Raelene:
For me, it was just the fear of failing that pushed me to work hard for the
"O" Levels.

Allison:Initially,
I tried to enter the Junior College of my choice through DSA butwas
unsuccessful. However, I remembered what our teacher Mr Desmond
Keongsaid
to us - "If you can't get in through the side gate, go through the main
gate." With that in mind, I decided to press on and work hard to achieve
the results I needed to enrolin
my school of choice.

SerNing:
My class motivated me to work hard a lot because everyone was studying hard
together. When I see others putting in immense effort, I was encouraged to do
the same.

Nabilah: For better or for worse, for the last
few months in 2015, I got into this K-pop group called BTS, and there was this
one song that really spoke to me, and it said “whatever you do, don’t give up
on your dreams” and that’s how I was inspired to work hard.

Coco: Actually, you don’t have to choose
who or what motivates or inspires you because they come naturally into your
life. For me, my source of motivation was my tablemates. There were 4 of us and
3 of them were very good at their studies and did very well, and were very
talented, so I didn’t feel good because they would all score better than me,
and I couldn’t catch up with them. So I motivated myself to work harder so I
could catch up with them and somehow be able to study with them for a longer
period of time before the O levels. Motivation can also come from yourself, for
example, if you want to become a better person and score better, so you need to
change your attitude so you can use yourself as a source of motivation as well.

Xin
Ziqi: The Junior College
of my dreams definitely.

Yue Ying: My mindset was that if I this is
something that I am going to have to do, why not do it as best as I can.

What
are some of the study methods that you all use for your O Level preparation?

Kivia: Personally, I think everyone has
different study methods that will work for them. I myself write down notes so
that it is a summary from the textbook to be easily revised before exams. Since
the teachers also prepare for us so many practice papers, we should also
practice from them because it really helps in exam preparation.

Coco: Everyone has her own studying
methods, and that there is no best studying method for everyone to follow.
Everyone has to find her own way of studying and learning. This is very
important as alot of my friends submitted to peer pressure and adopted study
methods that did not suit them, thinking that they would be able to score well.
You must understand that if you’re not suited for one study method, you should
be flexible and switch to another one. You should not force yourself to use a
method that you’re not comfortable with. Regarding consultations, I want to
encourage them to go for consultation for subjects that they need help in.
Finally, it’s important to pay attention during the lessons and to grasp what
the teacher has taught during their lessons. It helps to take down notes on
what the teacher is teaching.

Yi Ning: For the different subjects, there
are different study methods. For Mathematics it’s just practicing more and
understanding. For Humanities, it is very content heavy so usually I just talk
to myself at home because I find it easier and faster to understand.

Jo Wee: I varied my studying methods based
on the different subjects as well. For example, for subjects with a lot of
content, like my Humanities and Sciences, I made notes. For science and math
subjects, it is important to listen to your teacher’s advice, as they know the
best way to remember content. When the school gave me practice papers and the
chance to sign up for consultations, I just took it all up.

Ashvini: I personally feel that although the
science textbooks can be extremely useful, the content tends to be rather
lengthy and long-winded, making it difficult to remember. I would suggest
making your own personalized notes and syllabus summaries on foolscap paper or
post-it pads because you can look through them briefly right before that
Examination paper. As for the Humanities subjects, you may be tempted to
highlight everything in the textbook. Unfortunately, from experience I can tell
you that that does you no good. Categorizing key learning points in summarized
form is the best way to go. Being straight to the point is also very important
when tackling questions in this subject.
As for both Additional Mathematics and Elementary Mathematics, practice
is key. After all, practice makes perfect. Taking down all the questions where
you have made mistakes in or not understood fully in a notebook and retrying
them is also a healthy practice as it prevents you from making the same mistake
again.

Rachel: Group studying may not work for
everyone but it certainly did work for me.
For the group of friends that I studied with, it did work for us as we
helped each other to be objective and productive during group study sessions and
all of us can also clarify our doubts with each other if we did not understand
something.

Yihui: For me, it’s not really subject
based but generally for all your subjects, make sure that you know where you
went wrong so that you will not make the same mistakes again. Not just the
mistakes but also think of the concepts which you might not have understood
properly.

How did
you manage your time effectively?

Yining: I think that managing your time well
means not procrastinating. At the start of the year especially, you have a lot
of commitments like, hanging out with your friends, tuition, bonding with your
family and of course to study. Sometimes, you find it too overwhelming to
juggle so many things but so long as you plan your time well. The moment you
have free time, try to squeeze in some homework and I think it will be very
worth it. At the end of the day, you will find that it is very fulfilling.

Shermaine: I just study for an hour and then
take a 5 minute break. During the two-week study break before O Levels, during the
first few days, I just tried to study all the way like when I eat, I will eat
while studying. From the time when I wake up, I will study all the way and will
only rest when I shower and then continue. I realised that my brain was very
tired by the end of the day and then I just tried to calm down with the
studying and pace myself. Too much is not good and too little is also not good.
You have to find the balance.

Yihui: For me to manage my time well, I
think what worked for me well was to have a to-do list. For homework, sometimes
the teachers give them in advance so don’t keep it to the last minute but
manage your time well. Make sure it is completed before the deadline. Make sure
you check your progress after every chapter. For me, I don’t like to over study
so I also take regular breaks but make sure you don’t get carried away by what
you are doing and be on task.

Chloe: I think it’s important to not waste
time. I tried to make use of any ‘gap’ to finish my work or just do something,
for example before assembly when I come to school early, during breaks or in
between classes. I also tried to have a timetable to manage my time and follow
it.

Julia: I had quite a few free periods in
class because I didn’t take Pure Humanities. During that, I would either do my
work or rest, depending on what I wanted, and at home I’d do more. If I had
rested during the ‘Pure Humanities’ period, I’d make sure to do my work at
home; but if I’d done some work instead, I’d have a short rest at home before
continuing.

Aastha:
I wrote out all the work I had to complete in my diary, so that I was better
able to prioritise the things I had to do. For example, school work would take
priority over things like watching a Korean drama. Sometimes, I used incentives
to get me to complete a certain amount of work. I would tell myself that if I
finished a certain few tasks, I would let myself watch an episode of the Korean
drama I was following.

Xueting: I just try to finish all the homework
the teachers have assigned everything in time and study. Before examinations, I
would make a revision timetable myself and follow it. I wouldn’t do anything
last-minute.

What
are some of the challenges you faced in the course of the year?

Yihui: For me, I think the challenges would
be getting back results after the tests and exams. You could probably have
worked very hard for them but somehow, you didn’t get what you wanted. I sometimes
felt quite disappointed with myself and I often wondered how I could improve by
so much for the O levels. I think what helped me was speaking to my teachers
and friends because the teachers really encouraged us to do well and to believe
in ourselves.

Amanda: I think one of the challenges I
faced was feeling quite tired after prelims leading up to the O levels. I used
to study alone at home and I found that at home, I would just get very
distracted and I could not really study so I tried different places to study. I
started to find a good spot where I would be productive and I realised that
studying alone was not working for me anymore. If you realise that your study
method is not working for you then try switching places to make sure that you
are studying at your optimum and not just staring at your notes, doing nothing.
I think many people face the problem of the lack of sleep because they sleep
very late. The most important thing is to rest. If you don’t rest and fall
asleep in class, then what is the point right? It’s like you have to go to
class and you sleep so you have to stay up late to study. One thing I did was
to just drop everything and sleep at 12.
You can always find pockets of time to complete your work; that’s not a very
big issue. Also, hydrate yourself. When you don’t drink enough water, you tend
to feel more sleepy and end up sleeping in class. So, health is very important.

Chloe: It’s quite hard to balance
Co-Curricular Activities and studies because you just can’t have everything.

Julia: Not doing well in a test or an exam. I
tried to not get affected by that and instead used it as motivation to keep
working hard and do better.

Xueting: The most serious would be
procrastination. I think procrastination is a very common problem. Sometimes I
can’t even finish a single piece of homework. It’s important to have a plan in
your mind, and try to avoid
procrastinating.Language was also a
very big challenge for me but my teacher really helped me, and I really
appreciate him for teaching us for the whole of Secondary 4. Mr Tan [Yew Hock]
is a really good teacher, and without his help I might not -- I could not --have gotten this far.

Lihong: Language. I only came to Singapore two
years ago and it wasn’t easy for me to get a high score in English. Before the
O-levels, I could only get B3s or B4s, so I didn’t have high expectations for
English.

Shermaine: For me, just before prelims, something
happened at home, and I didn’t have the mood to study at all. Then, every day
when I came to school, I was asking myself why I was even coming to school; I
just didn’t want to study. My prelim results weren’t that good, and I expected
that because I didn’t really study well for my prelims. My teachers talked to
me gave me a lot of encouragement and support. They advised me not to allow
this to affect my studies. So after that, I told myself, if I have to do one
thing, I will do my family proud and do myself proud and work really hard for the
O levels.

What
are your plans after O levels?

Yihui: Since the holidays are over, I have
done what I wanted during the holidays and now I have to choose my junior college. Now, I can go to the JC I was aiming for
which is Hwa Chong.

Yi Ning: At the start of the year, I was actually
planning to go to NJC and I am pretty glad that I got the required score so I
will apply for NJC and I hope I can get in.

Ashvini: I plan to do IB in SJI.

Rachel: I plan to do IB too, but in ACSI.

Xin
Ziqi: I’ll be going
to open houses to decide which JC to go to.

What
advice would you like to give to your juniors taking O levels this year?

Kivia: If you still have time, I think it’s
good to find the best study method that suits you. For example, you can go to a
café or library or somewhere, to study. This is because different people have
different places in terms of where they can study the best. Also, find out
whether you study better alone or with your friends. Actually, I only realised
that I study outside alone the best at the end of Sec 3 and it made a huge
difference to my grades. I can concentrate much better outside compared to when
I am studying at home. So, if you can find the best method to study, then it
will help you a lot.

Yi Ning: As you all are preparing for your O
levels, you all should help one another out. If you see that your friend is in
need of help, like she is struggling with some concepts or some formula that
she can’t seem to understand and you have understood that, I think you should
just go and help her out. As long as you know her, just step forward and help.
Everyone is going through this together and you might never know when you need
help in your studies.

Yihui: Especially in Secondary 4, it might
seem very tough and time might pass by very slowly when you are studying. It’s
important not to give up, but continue to push on and sometimes you might wonder
why you are doing this. Just keep on at it and have no regrets at the end of
the day.

Amelia: Seek help when you know you need it.

Nabilah: This year may feel like a roller
coaster; there will be ups, there will be downs, there will be loop-de-loops,
but at the end, even though you’re exhausted, you’ll feel exhilarated knowing
that you tried your best.

SerNing:
You really have to approach your teachers for consultation as soon as possible.
That really helped me. When itgets
closer to the"O"s,
there will bea
lot of people looking for their teachers for consultation.

Aastha:
Study smart, not simply hard. Before, I used to do a lot of practice papers
without understanding. However, I didn’t do so well in my mid-years and
realised that I should have studied smart, and not simply hard. So, that’s what
I did for my ‘O’ Levels.Also,
I find that by studying in study groups, you are more efficient.

Jovitta: I think that if you experience
failure, you shouldn’t just shrug them off. In secondary 3, whenever I did not
do so well I used to think that it was okay and that there was always going to
be another exam. I think the wake-up call for me was during my secondary 4 mid-year
exam, when I got the highest aggregate that I ever got in my time at Crescent.
That was the point where I realized that there was not going to be a next time
before the O levels. So when you experience any setbacks or failures, or are
unable to meet your goals, that’s when you need to think about how you can
start improving and how to do better. Once you have this motivation and this
realization, it’s easy to improve on yourself.

Jo Wee: Have fun! Don’t study so hard that
you’re going to burn out in the middle; stay consistent and work hard and play
hard!

Coco: Please remember that your last year in Crescent is not
just about studies, so please do make time for your friends and yourself, and
remember to treasure them, because this will be the last year that you will be
with them.

Debbie: Take care of yourself in all aspects
and believe in yourself, because hard work will always pay off! Good luck!

Amanda:
I feel that the most important thing is to stay positive and always tell
yourself that you can do it. At the start of Sec 4, I thought I would never
make it through O levels. But, look at us now, we made it through. If you ever
feel like you lack motivation, just feel free to come and talk to your seniors.
I mean we are living testimonies that you can do it and that nothing is
impossible. Remember to have fun and cherish the times you have in Crescent,
because you will miss it. Do not over study and become too stressed. Just enjoy
the process, it is worth it.

Julia: Friends are important because they keep
you motivated and sane. You can also study with them. Stay on track

Lihong: :
Before an exam, remember to relax. If you’re nervous, you’re just going to
forget everything. Good luck!

Xueting: It’s important to take care of your
health. Try to exercise more during your free time and have a balanced diet. If
you are fit and healthy you will have the energy to study and be focused I
school.

Student Reporters

Student Interviewees

1. Maria Tinajero (4G1)

2. Melissa Speninger (4G1)

3. Razeena Sahrin
( 4S1)

4. Htoo Pyae
Pyae Ang (4S1)

5. Estella Tan (4S2)

6. Aarti Pillai (4S3)

7. Jacqueline Wong (4S3)

8. Faith Leong (4C1)

9. Faith Lim (4C1)

10. Hazel Pak (4S1)

11. Yosephine Jessica (4G3)

1. Lua Ser Ning (4G1)

2. Allison Ting (4S1)

3. Raelene (4S1)

4. Aastha Hans (4G3)

5. Debbie Ang (4S1)

6. Coco Yau (4S1)

7. See To Jo Wee (4S1)

8. Jovitta (4C1)(4G2)

9. Amelia Tai (4S2)

10. Wan Nabilah (4G1)

11. Kivia (4G2)

12. Fong Yihui (4S2)

13. Shermaine Kho (4S2)

14. Amanda Goh (4S1)

15. Ashvini d/o Annathurai (4S1)

16. Hong Yi Ning (4S1)

17. Liu Yueying (4S2)

18. Xin Ziqi (4S2)

19. Rachel Tay (4G1)

20. Julia (4S1)

21. Wang Xueting (4S1)

22. Chloe Ann Tan (4S2)

23. Peg Lihong (4S2)

Sec One Orientation: Campfire Night

On a cool evening on 8 January 2016, the Secondary One
students gathered at the parade square for the highlight of the Orientation
Programme – the Campfire. The different CCAs had been preparing for months for
this night, from the performances to the skit to the decorations and more. Even
though the Secondary One students interacted with their orientation groupmates
for barely a week, the skits and class cheers they came up with were indeed
impressive. This year’s campfire was perhaps the most special as the Girl
Guides prepared something unique - coloured flames! It was truly a memorable
night for everyone.

Reported by Charmaine Ong (4C2)

Release of 2015 O-level Results

It was the much anticipated moment when Sec 4 students of 2015 came back to collect their O-level results. The atmosphere in the auditorium was filled with tension as students greeted one another with words of encouragement. With one’s stomach in knots, the countdown to the release of results seemed like a never-ending wait.

As Mrs Tan, our Principal, flashed the outstanding results, joyous cheers ricocheted off the walls. It was not long before the slideshow ended and the time had come. With bated breath, they eagerly waited as the crisp, clean envelope was given to them by their Form Teachers. Expectantly, they slowly slipped the paper out of the envelope. A wave of emotions flooded the auditorium; tears flowed, smiles broke out and disappointment flashed across the faces of the former Sec 4s. Parents weaved through the boisterous crowd, seeking their daughters to show their support.

Representatives from different schools and tertiary institutions also came down to set up booths, offering a wide range of information for the former Sec 4s so as to help them in making an informed decision about how they should proceed to the next stage of their lives.

Highly inspired by their seniors’ achievements, the Sec 4 cohort of 2016 returned to their classes with their goals in mind. They readied themselves for a challenging yet fulfilling year ahead in order to strive for excellence in their academic pursuits.

Reported by Ang Hui Xian Nicole & Charis Boey Shan Yin (4G1)

CCA Open House 2016

CCA Open House 2016 was a
success due to the combined effort of all Crescentians, along with
the weeks of preparation. Each CCA put on their best display to capture
the attention of the Secondary One students. Surely they must have felt awed to
see the many CCAs they could participate in and the enthusiasm and passion
every Crescentian displayed for their CCA.

The parade square was full
of activity as the various groups showcased their talents. Performances put by
the various Performing Arts CCAs were indeed awesome. The uniformed groups had
everyone's attention with their precise and well-rehearsed foot and rifle
drills. The sports group also set up trial zones where the Secondary 1s could
test out their athletic prowess. Student representatives from the various CCAs
walked around to warmly welcome the Secondary One students, and answer any
queries they had.

The Secondary One students
definitely benefited from watching these showcases, as they now knew more about
the various CCAs that would enable them to develop their full potential in
their areas of interest here at Crescent Girls' School.

The sudden downpour midway
through the CCA Open House did little to dampen the students’ spirit. Instead,
the students still enthusiastically went around to promote their CCA as the
Secondary One students continued to hop from booth to booth.

It was definitely a
memorable event as it seemed just yesterday when we were in their shoes
deciding which CCA we were interested in, and wanted to join. As a senior
now, we know that it is also in our hands to continue to strive for excellence
in our CCAs and to be a good role model for our juniors to look up to.